Congratulations to the Spanish GTD team having contributed so much to this historic success Kourou, February 13, 2012 From the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana, VEGA the new vector of the European Space Agency, performed its first lift-off. The launch was performed at 7.00 a.m. (local time) and all phases followed fully successful since the count-down: from the 1st stage when the vector regularly separated two minutes after lift-off, up to the 4th stage when VEGA reached the predefined orbit set at 1450 km height for the 1st LARES release (Laser Relativity Satellite) the satellite which is about to verify Albert Einstein relativity theory. VEGA will be able to put in orbit various payload configurations, compared with other launchers its peculiarity is in its wide flexibility and cost effectiveness. This 1st qualification flight named VV01, is the final chapter of the program development phase, which lasted 9 years, driven by ESA and its partners and qualifies the entire VEGA system including the vehicle, ground infrastructure and the launch campaign operations for the separation and disposal of superior module payload. About GTD in VEGA Program Today is a day to be remembered with proud by GTD and by all the people who cooperated in the development of this project. GTD has been in charge of developing the following and critical systems related to VEGA launcher and its ground segment: • The flight program executed by the On Board Computer and responsible in driving the launcher all along its way until final phase where payloads are released. • The ground segment “control & command system” for VEGA servitudes. Located in the VEGA launching Control Center, it is in charge of controlling and commanding all the facilities around the launcher segments. • The emergency control system which ensures the launcher in negative chronology, the return to a secure configuration thereof in case of failure of the main control system. • VEGA Adaptations of telemetry systems and radar flight tracking systems in Guiana Space Center. Including Flight Safety Mission.
